Official Luthiers Forum!

Just got my fix -- er, tonewood -- from Bob C.

As usual, it was packed great, and really looks better than the image he had on his website.

I bought the 018 set of cocobolo he had up there, and other than a few tiny wormholes that I'll be able to cut out (I'm building a classical, and don't need all the width) and a few very minor blemishes that I hope will sand out, it is indeed a very pretty set.

Here's a look:



Not a lot of figure to the back set, but that's OK. I kinda like the straight qs look of coco.

Yup, I'm a happy guy.

Best,

Michael
Michael McBroom38556.5656134259

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Thanks Michael. I'm glad to hear you like the set.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Actually Michael, I think that set is perfect for a classical...all of the flashy stuff is okay for steel string but tight grained qs rosewood is the perfect look for classical..most flashy Cocobolo is also flashy because it is flat to riftsawn...I'll take qs anyday..

Shawn,

Absolutely. Besides, the fellow who I'm building this guitar for will be touring with it. He's concerned about stability, and I think he's probably better off with a qs back than a flashy flatsawn back, far as that goes.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Yes, Yes, Yes, that looks to be a perfect set to me. When I buy back & side sets I like to see nice straight QS grain in the back, and a bit of fancy figure in the side sets. I've never had the urge to go over to the dark side and be seduced by high zoot backs (sorry is that heretical here?) The back, is after all, just that 'the back' it's the bit that is least seen, the bit that is against my stomach. I want it to be stable and ring like a bell I find this more often in straight grain. For sides, well they play minimal part in the acoustic properties of the guitar merely serving to keep the front and back apart and anyway, I usually line the sides with a second layer of mahogany to make it good and stiff. So, for the outer skin a good well figured bit is fine and dandy. (Adding a second layer also means that you can go real thin with very highly figured wood and reduce the risk of breakage when bending) I believe a number of great builders are going the double skinned sides route (Howard Klepper comes to mind).

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

In the classical world, Jose Ramirez has been building their best guitars with laminated sides for well over 30 years.

I've thought about it. I know a lot of folks use vacuum to do the laminations. Now that I bend my sides on a mold, I guess I can use the mold as a sort of gluing caul, but I'm still somewhat concerned about voids developing.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Guys,

I got a question about this set I just bought. I was able to trim away all the wood that had the wormholes in it. This being a classical, I still have room left over. But one of the halves has some discolorations that look as if a piece next to it probably had some wormholes and that only the discolorations made it into this piece.

I've thicknessed the set down to about 0.135" so far, and I'm hoping that the discolorations will sand out. But if they don't, is there any kind of trick or technique one can use to lighten these little gray areas? They get much darker when I wipe the wood down with mineral spirits.

I'm thinking there probably isn't but I had to ask. I also know that, over time the color will darken and they will become less obvious.

Best,

Michael

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

Michael I don't think you can lighten them. That set will darken considerably in a very short time. Freshly sanded coco is always much lighter.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498